Internet Mass

[mtflatina88]

In what circumstances is watching a Mass online or on TV acceptable?

I bring this up because I am going on tour with my Univeristy’s choir this weekend. And unfortunately, the tour makes it quite difficult, if not impossible to get to Mass. I am trying my best to make it happen, but it means relying on other people, which is hard to do in this situation. It’s hard to figure out how much I can ask of people to help me fulfill my obligation.

I know that if push comes to shove I can watch it on the Internet, but I would rather go to Mass live so I can receive.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

In what circumstances is watching a Mass online or on TV acceptable?

I bring this up because I am going on tour with my Univeristy’s choir this weekend. And unfortunately, the tour makes it quite difficult, if not impossible to get to Mass. I am trying my best to make it happen, but it means relying on other people, which is hard to do in this situation. It’s hard to figure out how much I can ask of people to help me fulfill my obligation.

I know that if push comes to shove I can watch it on the Internet, but I would rather go to Mass live so I can receive.

That is a great attitude. If it is not possibly after trying your best to get a cab or ride to Mass from the hotel Saturday evening or Sunday morning, then watching Mass on the net is a good thing.

 

[puzzleannie]

it is always acceptable to watch a televised Mass. no it does not substitute for your Sunday obligation, and you have no obligation if it is simply not possibly logistically to attend. However it can be a very good aid to meditation and your attitude of acknowledging the need to devote that time to the Lord is laudable.

 

[tonyrog]

I watch the Internet Mass daily. Since I am home bound i accept it as legit. I have yet to see a priest on the Internet say this Mass doesn’t count. If it doesn’t why spend all that money in Tv & Internet when it could be used to feed the hungry,cloth the naked and take care of the sick like Jesus said. I think the church needs to come into the 21st century.In my heart I firmly beleive it is okay.

Tony

 

[LilyM]

I watch the Internet Mass daily. Since I am home bound i accept it as legit. I have yet to see a priest on the Internet say this Mass doesn’t count. If it doesn’t why spend all that money in Tv & Internet when it could be used to feed the hungry,cloth the naked and take care of the sick like Jesus said. I think the church needs to come into the 21st century.In my heart I firmly beleive it is okay.

Tony

They do it because homebound people such as yourself benefit - it’s a good thing and a work of mercy, but not strictly necessary.

The fact is, constant church teaching is, that if you were able to personally attend Mass then it wouldn’t fulfil your obligation to just watch it on TV. After all, many priests rarely explicitly teach that non-Catholics or people with mortal sin on their souls shouldn’t come up for communion, the fact that they neglect to mention it doesn’t make it OK.

It’s one of the optional but helpful extras, like having decent altar vessels, statues, clean floor or carpet and nice vestments.

 

[tonyrog]

LilyM

My problem is I believe I am attending Mass and many of the priest on the Internet thank us for joining them in the Mass and also refer to us as their Internet Parishoners. At no time has a priest stated in the Mass that this doese not count for your obligation or that you are not really at mass. They also tell us to spread the word about the TV & Internet mass and ask for contributions as well. Seems like a real Mass to me.

tonyrog

 

[theistgal]

LilyM

My problem is I believe I am attending Mass and many of the priest on the Internet thank us for joining them in the Mass and also refer to us as their Internet Parishoners. At no time has a priest stated in the Mass that this doese not count for your obligation or that you are not really at mass. They also tell us to spread the word about the TV & Internet mass and ask for contributions as well. Seems like a real Mass to me.

tonyrog

The rule of the Church is that if you’re physically able to do so, you must attend Mass by being physically present there on Sundays and holy days. You’re not physically present if you’re watching on TV.

TV performers often thank their viewers for allowing then into their homes, but they’re not really in your house, are they? It’s just a figure of speech.

As others have already pointed out to you, if you’re sick, you’re not obligated to attend Mass at all, so this rule doesn’t apply to you.

 

[LilyM]

LilyM

My problem is I believe I am attending Mass and many of the priest on the Internet thank us for joining them in the Mass and also refer to us as their Internet Parishoners. At no time has a priest stated in the Mass that this doese not count for your obligation or that you are not really at mass. They also tell us to spread the word about the TV & Internet mass and ask for contributions as well. Seems like a real Mass to me.

tonyrog

Like I said, many priests can go the whole year through without ever stating from the pulpit that you must be Catholic and in a state of grace to receive Catholic communion. By your logic, the fact that they say nothing on the topic must mean that non-Catholics and people who are in mortal sin are free to receive.

Of course they aren’t, and no amount of ‘feeling’ that they can means that they ACTUALLY can.

So, by the same token, the fact that the tv priest doesn’t SAY that a tv Mass doesn’t fulfil your obligation doesn’t mean that it DOES.

And naturally the priest wouldn’t say that it doesn’t count - it DOES count, for the people who are physically present there. And there are always people physically present - he can’t hold a Mass without them, by Canon Law. Now why would THAT be the case, that at least one member of the public must be physically present for a Mass to be valid, if ‘attending’ by TV or internet were just as good as being physically there?

 

[mtflatina88]

For all who are wondering, I was able to go to Mass that weekend, even though I got there a few minutes late for reasons mostly out of my control. I am kind of sad that it was so rushed though, because I rushed there, and then had to rush to the Methodist church where my choir was rehearsing. But I got to have more worship time with God in a Methodist church the next day (the choir was singing at two services). So that was nice.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I watch the Internet Mass daily. Since I am home bound i accept it as legit. I have yet to see a priest on the Internet say this Mass doesn’t count. If it doesn’t why spend all that money in Tv & Internet when it could be used to feed the hungry,cloth the naked and take care of the sick like Jesus said. I think the church needs to come into the 21st century.In my heart I firmly beleive it is okay.

Tony

The priest does not have to say it, it is well known that a televised Mass or Mass by other electronic media does not satisfy the Mass obligation of someone who is capable of attending a Mass in person. Is a person is truely not able to attend then there is no obligation in the first place to satisfy.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

LilyM

My problem is I believe I am attending Mass and many of the priest on the Internet thank us for joining them in the Mass and also refer to us as their Internet Parishoners. At no time has a priest stated in the Mass that this doese not count for your obligation or that you are not really at mass. They also tell us to spread the word about the TV & Internet mass and ask for contributions as well. Seems like a real Mass to me.

tonyrog

It is or was a REAL Mass that took place or is taking place somewhere at some time, but for you it is an electronic image on a screen.

 

[Sir_Knight]

In my heart I firmly beleive it is okay.

What you believe is immaterial. What counts is what the church OFFICIALLY declares because we have Christ’s promise that whatever they bind on earth WILL BE bound in heaven.

Let me give you a real-life example to illustrate the point. Several months ago I was visiting my in-laws and I couldn’t sleep so I went to watch TV which had several hundred stations. I was flipping through the stations and came across one minister in GA who was quoting from scripture that all homosexuals were going to go to hell. In his heart he firmly BELIEVED that.

Then less than ten minutes later I cam across another minister from CA on another station also quoting the bible saying that homosexuals would be welcomed in heaven. In his heart he firmly BELIEVED that.

They both can’t be right if they have opposing beliefs. Therefore, what you “BELIEVE in you heart” is not a good measure by what to go by. Instead, we need to go by the teachings of our Church for they were given the keys to the gates of heaven.

 

[JPUSC]

I have an old WWII Military Missal and it has this to say to those unable to attend Mass:

Mass travels with the sun. A timely prayer at any hour.

No matter when you look at your clock, it is early morning somewhere…and some Priest is offering Mass! 300,000 Masses every 24 hours! As you recall how Jesus once offered Sacrifice on the Cross, so now unite your sacrifice with Him as He offers Himself again in Holy Mass.

So while I suppose watching an internet/television Mass may not count, you can unite yourself with the Eucharist using the live image of the Mass.

 

[mtflatina88]

[Edited]

Thanks for everyone who’s responded to my question.